Four candidates are vying in Tuesday’s election to fill the Georgia House District 80 seat, which includes portions of Brookhaven, Chamblee, Dunwoody, Sandy Springs in DeKalb and Fulton counties. The seat became vacant when Gov. Nathan Deal appointed Rep. Mike Jacobs to the DeKalb County State Court bench in May.
If no candidate gets a majority of the vote – 50 percent plus 1 – a runoff election will be held Aug. 11.
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution invited the candidates to list their top priorities if elected and a quote on why they are the best candidate.
Name: Taylor Bennett, Democrat, http://www.taylorbennett.org/
Issues:
Economic Development: State legislators should focus on growing our economy responsibly. In my opinion, growth can and must benefit both employers and working families. We need to focus on making it easier to start and operate small businesses in our state, and we need to hold corporations receiving tax breaks to their word when it comes to job creation. We must create a system in which businesses can operate with confidence, but are also empowered to take proper care of their employees. Strong businesses, strong working families, and a strong economy are not mutually exclusive of one another, it simply requires a thoughtful, balanced approach.
Education: Public education is the cornerstone of our economic present and future. We must consider any and all proposals to improve public education in our state, beginning with the proper use of taxpayer dollars. I don't believe in throwing money at any problem, but it is clear that falling hundreds of millions of dollars short of the QBE year after year has had a terrible effect on our students. Class sizes are up, instructional days are lost, teachers are furloughed, and schools are in disrepair. We have to engage in a bipartisan, comprehensive review of where our public education dollars go, trim the fat, and direct our resources to the things that matter most: clean, safe schools, well-trained teachers, accountable administrators, and the resources children need to learn, grow, and succeed both in and out of the classroom.
Transportation: I intend to bring the most creative and effective solutions to our transportation problems — including MARTA expansion — so we can aggressively deal with congestion and support fast paced growth within in our district and statewide. In order for our robust economic development to be sustainable we have to ensure that our growth doesn't outpace our infrastructure. That doesn't mean slowing down a growing economy; it means prioritizing transportation and transit development to increase our economic production and potential.
Quote: Quite simply, I am committed to carrying my constituents' interests forward in a way that's transparent, open, and accountable. I am committed to being an advocate for each and every constituent in my district, regardless of party, gender, race, religion, or any other characteristic or affiliation. I'm looking forward to bringing a new, cooperative, energetic approach to the Gold Dome and conducting the people's business in a way that is wholly accountable to them and that they can be proud of.
Catherine Bernard, Republican, http://www.votecatherine.com/
Issues:
Ethics: Government officials have to follow the rules and behave honestly and transparently, and too many of them have openly abandoned that approach. We have to fix the procedures that shut out citizen participation in the legislative process (insufficient time to read and share bills, for one) and aggressively avoid conflicts of interest that cheat voters out of their public servants' loyalty.
Taxes/education: Our tax burden is increasing, and Republicans have been presiding over that increase. New gas taxes, taxes on electric vehicles, hotel stays, tractor trailer fees, massive property tax increases - government isn't using the money it has wisely enough to justify taking more away from hardworking Georgia families. Education, which makes up the largest portion of Georgia's budget and our county tax bills, needs to be funded according to state law (i.e. directing funds to teachers and students, rather than to administrators through waivers from the School Board) and needs to focus on parental accountability rather than a problematic privatized accreditation system.
Transportation/regionalism/cityhood: Last session's transportation bill raised taxes without guaranteeing that the money would go to infrastructure needs. We need sustainable transportation solutions, not partnerships that increase public debt while enriching favored private companies. Regional planning can be valuable, but not when it subverts local control - the most valuable tool for government accountability. Cityhood can be a powerful tool to increase local control, but we have to be conscious of the costs of adding additional layers of government and empowering more elected officials.
Honorable mention: public safety: We all share the goal of living in safe communities and respecting constitutional rights, but we're not allocating our public safety resources in a way that promotes that. Instead, our politicians are fostering dangerous division between hardworking police officers and poor and minority communities, while undermining the rule of law. Violence and property crimes must be aggressively pursued, but we have to get rid of policing-for-profit and other distorted incentives.
Quote: I'm the only candidate in this race with the experience, ethics, and wide-ranging connections throughout the state to be an effective advocate for HD80 interests from day one. House District 80 is a high profile area made up of three dynamic cities with an educated and engaged population, and we can't afford a candidate with no public service experience - or worse, one whose experience demonstrates a lack of commitment to transparency and accountability. I've already successfully built legislative coalitions on justice reform and economic development issues, so voters know what they're getting - a committed, principled watchdog who will always seek the truth and our best interests rather than a personal agenda of political advancement.
Loren Collins, Republican, http://www.voteloren.com/
Issues:
Education: Despite increases, Georgia's high school graduation rate is still only about 72%, one of the lowest in the nation. We need education improvement not just in and around Brookhaven, but statewide.
Transportation: We need to plan transportation infrastructure not just for immediate congestion relief, but also with an eye for what our evolving transit demands will be in the decades to come.
Ethics: Georgia passed some much needed ethics reform in 2013, but given that they did things like cap the monetary amount of lobbyist gifts, but not the number of such gifts, there's still a lot of reform needed.
Quote: As a fiscal conservative who is also moderate or progressive on social issues, I believe my more classically liberal political beliefs are the most in line with what this district's voters prefer in their elected officials. I believe strongly in evidence-based policy-making, and I'm not indebted to any party or other special interests who expect me to support their agenda.
J. Max Davis, Republican, www.jmaxforhouse.com
Issues:
Rising property taxes is the biggest issue. I have proposed a cap on all items on homeowners' property tax bills so that regardless of how much the assessment increases, the bill can only increase 3% or the Consumer Price Index (CPI), whichever is lower. No one should be forced to sell their home because they can't afford their property tax bill.
Education: I will work to create city based school systems. A locally controlled city school system will allow for much smaller class sizes. This smaller system won't be subject to the massive county bureaucracy that takes resources away from teachers and children in the classroom.
Transportation: We must take an all of the above approach. As State Representative, I will embrace a comprehensive approach to reducing traffic. Roads are the main way we move from place to place. I will work with GDOT to network traffic lights, regardless of jurisdictional boundaries. I know we need to provide more options; including ridesharing (like Uber), auto sharing (like ZipCar), sidewalks and trails (such as PATH400 and the Beltline), better roads and a smarter transit system. I will follow in the footsteps of Rep. Mike Jacobs, and be an advocate for smart, effective transit.
Quote: I am the only candidate with deep roots in our community. I have spent my life working to make our area better. I led the campaign to make Brookhaven a city and served as its first Mayor. I am the only candidate who has made concrete proposals to cut property taxes, enhance government transparency, reform our education system by bringing more local control, reforming the DeKalb and Fulton governments and relieve traffic congestion. I have a successful record of bringing reform to reality. No other candidate can say that.
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